March 31, 2019 “You will not be punished for your anger; you will be punished by your anger.” –Buddha We used to think the best way to manage our anger was to express it, ideally in a way that didn’t physically or emotionally harm someone else. For instance, getting in the car or shower and …
The most important question you can ask yourself
March 10, 2019 “If I were to scratch below the surface of anyone I would find fear, pain, and anxiety running amok” – Charlotte Joko Beck We all have ways to cover up what makes us feel uncomfortable. We overeat, overdrink, overwork, over-talk, watch too much television, make life into an endless project, stay glued …
Emotional intimacy isn’t for sissies
February 24, 2019 “Emotional intimacy involves a perception of closeness to another that allows sharing of personal feelings, accompanied by expectations of understanding, affirmation, and demonstration of caring” — Wikipedia We are born alone and we die alone. We inhabit a body and mind that no one, including ourselves, will completely understand, although that’s our …
Vulnerability takes guts
February 10, 2019 “We are never more powerful than when we are completely vulnerable and have nothing to defend”—Robyn Norman Vulnerability is a word we hear a lot these days. Most of us have been raised to believe that to be vulnerable is to be weak. Or worse, that it will position us as prey, …
Real self, please stand up
January 27, 2019 “To imagine that some ‘thing’ – food, sex, power, money, material possession, a lover, a child – will make you happy is to deceive yourself. Only something as vast and deep as your real self can make you truly and lastingly happy” – Sri Nisargadatta Majaraj, 20thcentury Hindu sage Who is your …
Normality is highly over-rated
January 13, 2019 “The pursuit of normality is the ultimate sacrifice of potential.” Faith Jegede Cole In fact, the pursuit of normality has the potential to be the death of you. Normality is defined as “the condition of being normal; the state of being usual, typical, or expected”. In other words, like everyone else. The …
Thank You
January 1, 2019 Wishing you a 2019 that is filled with moments of joy and genuine optimism, amidst the challenges that are a part of each of our lives. Thank you for your continued interest in the messages that Seedlings attempts to convey. Your emails and comments are always heart-warming and often surprising. I believe …
The Rabbit-hole of Unsolicited Advice-giving
December 30, 2018 J.R.R. Tolkien said, “Advice is a dangerous gift, even from the wise to the wise, and all courses may run ill.” We like to think we are supportive, loving, and kind. Which certainly we often are. We are also self-centered, insecure, and sometimes downright thoughtless and unkind. When your friend or partner …
Transform your relationship with time
December 16, 2018 What is your relationship with time? Is it your friend, or your enemy? Is time something to embrace, or something to conquer? Do you sometimes find yourself racing to get through a task so that you can finally enjoy your ‘life’? Or waiting with baited breath for the end of the workday, …
The gift of being ‘not special’
December 2, 2018 I have been struggling with a feeling that I shared with a friend. The feeling was discomfort and it came from the idea that at times I have the thought that I’m ‘better than’ someone else. It was difficult to talk about without wanting to back-track, explain, or justify myself. It can …